The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-13
a HEROIC NUN.
Extraordinary Record of Mother Mary
Teresa, French Sister ofCharity.

l6T6od, d t I6uCn OlSG0T Vi SIldIlGy.
From the Brooklyn Glitter.
In the presence of all the French troops
guarding the Capital of Tonquin, the Gov
ernor- General recently bestowed the cross
of the Legion of Honor on a nun, Mother
Mary Teresa, Superioress of the Sisters of
Charity in that Empire. The troops We're
drawn up in the principal plaza of the city
in a square surrounding a platform on
which was the Governor General and his
staff. When an aid-de-camp was sent to
bring the nun he found her in the hospital
consOling q soldier who was having his leg
amputated She refused to leave the bed
side until the operation was completed, and
then followed the officer to the square,
where she was received by the General in
person and led to the platform, amid the
Joyful exciamatiGns of the soldiers. The
General then commanded silence, and in a
solemn and impressive tone addressed her
as follows:
Mother Mary Teresa, when you were
twenty years of age you received a wound
from a cannon-ball while assisting one Of
the wounded on the field of Balaklava. In
1859 the shell from a mitrailleuse laid you
PROSTATE in the front rank on the battlefield
of Magenta Since then you have been in Sy-
ria, in China and in Mexico, and if YOU were
not wounded it was not because you have
not exposed yourself to the shot of gun and
cannon and the sabers and iances of the
enemy. In 1870 you were taken up in Refs
choffen covered with many saber wounds
among a heap of dead cuirassiers. Such
deeds of heroism you have crowned few
weeks ago with one of the most heroic ac-
tions which history records. A grenade
fell upon the ambulance which was under
your charge; it did not burst, but it might
have done so at any moment and caused
new wounds in the bodies of those who
were already wounded: but there You were
YOU took up the grenade in your arms you
smiled upon the wounded, who looked at
YOU with feelings of dismay, not for them
selves, but for you, and you carried it away
to distance of eighty metres On laying
il down you noticed that it was going to
burst: you threw yourself on the ground; it
burst: you were seen covered with blood,
but when persons came to your assistance
YOU rose M smiling as is your wont, and
said, That is nothingn You are scarcely
recovered from your wound, and return to
the hospital, whence / have just now sum-
moned you"
During these words of praise the good
nun held her head modestly cast down,
with her eyes fixed on her cruciix that
hung by her side. Then the General made
her kneel down. and, drawing his sword,
touched her lightly with it three times on
the shoulder and pinned the cross of the
Legion of Honor on her habit saying with
u quivering voice:
~ put upon you the cross of the brave in
the name Of the French people and army;
no one has gained it by more deeds Of hero
ism nor by life so completely spent in self
abnegation for the benefit Of your brothers
and the service Of your country. Soldiers!
present arn1sl'
The troops saluted, the drums and bugles
rang out, the, air was filed with loud accla-
nations and all was jubilation and excite
ment as Mother Mary Teresa rose up, her
face sufrused with bushes, and asked:
General have you finished with meF
Yes said he.
"Well. theu, l am going back to my
wounded soldier in the hospital"